AR2718 Sodium and Ha
- ffellah
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AR2718 Sodium and Ha
Hello all: yesterday I knew this weekend weather was going to be horrible, so I took off from work a couple of hours early as I wanted to give a try at tiny AR2718. That small sucker was challenging to image just because of its size ! Seeing was average in late afternoon, it was my second time trying Sodium. I am also adding an image of a beautiful Great Egret in the river just outside my office and a visiting hummingbird that came to see me on a rainy day.
I hope you all have nice sunny weather this weekend and lots of good imaging, as here it is horrible !
Franco
I hope you all have nice sunny weather this weekend and lots of good imaging, as here it is horrible !
Franco
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- PDB
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
Hi Franco,
nice images, setups and birds.
Any reason why you have the diagonal in the airylab setup? (visual?) For a camera setup I would use a straight thru connection.
Do you have possibilities to make white light images of the same scale as with the sodium filter. It would be nice to compare images made at ~ same time in WL and sodium. It looks very much like WL in sodium, but I am interested to see the differences. (Before I consider investing, although other equipment has higher priortity)
Regards,
Paul
nice images, setups and birds.
Any reason why you have the diagonal in the airylab setup? (visual?) For a camera setup I would use a straight thru connection.
Do you have possibilities to make white light images of the same scale as with the sodium filter. It would be nice to compare images made at ~ same time in WL and sodium. It looks very much like WL in sodium, but I am interested to see the differences. (Before I consider investing, although other equipment has higher priortity)
Regards,
Paul
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
Paul,
Of course, I am not Franco, but may be my point of view will be interesting for you. I consider both Sodium and Margnesium Quarks as a money and time waste. Simple blue or green bandpass filter (with 1 - 20nm bandwidth) will show granulation as least as good as these Quarks if not better.
Better to invest these money in better H-a filter or better CaK filter or in any of your other astronomy or family needs.
If DayStar is seeking a new niche on the solar market, they better create 2x more expensive Quarks with really better uniformity and call them Quark-2 or Quark Deluxe.
Of course, I am not Franco, but may be my point of view will be interesting for you. I consider both Sodium and Margnesium Quarks as a money and time waste. Simple blue or green bandpass filter (with 1 - 20nm bandwidth) will show granulation as least as good as these Quarks if not better.
Better to invest these money in better H-a filter or better CaK filter or in any of your other astronomy or family needs.
If DayStar is seeking a new niche on the solar market, they better create 2x more expensive Quarks with really better uniformity and call them Quark-2 or Quark Deluxe.
Last edited by Valery on Sun Aug 19, 2018 10:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
These are really fine images, Franco.
Sometimes I too use diagonals while imaging, just to avoid too many extensions, but actually I noted some slight (slight...) improvement in contrast if no diagonal is used. Have you tried to compare results with both configurations ?
Sometimes I too use diagonals while imaging, just to avoid too many extensions, but actually I noted some slight (slight...) improvement in contrast if no diagonal is used. Have you tried to compare results with both configurations ?
Raf
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
Used both combinations (with 2" diagonal in front of the quark)Have you tried to compare results with both configurations ?
- I find straight thru more stable with the heavy Quark in the diagonal. (always gives me a scary feeling when moving scope back to home position)
- seems to give less reflections (but that can be due to otjer reasons in the optical train)
think I agree with that. Also better quality control would be nice. Maybe not willing to pay double, but I am willing to spend more (with my limited budget, retired since a few years ) for a better quality. Of course things are just the way they are, and price makes a difference.If DayStar is seeking a new niche on the solar market, they better create 2x more expensive Quarks with really better uniformity and call them Quark-2 or Quark Deluxe.
Regards,
Paul
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
Thank you, Paul and Raf, for your nice comments. I was still using the diagonal with the HaT as at high magnification it makes it easier to point the scope at a certain feature of the surface first visually, then insert the camera. That is very difficult to do, at least for me, without the diagonal. I will try, though, to take out the diagonal and see what difference it makes. I have not tried white light imaging yet, but that is one of the things I planning to do in the future.
@ Valery: thank you for expressing your frank and unvarnished opinion that the sodium quark that I am currently using and enjoying is a total waste of money. I thought it was really funny: you made my day !
Franco
@ Valery: thank you for expressing your frank and unvarnished opinion that the sodium quark that I am currently using and enjoying is a total waste of money. I thought it was really funny: you made my day !
Franco
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
They're great images Franco!
I too tend to use the diagonal with the Quark too with my HaT, straight through i'm floating on the limits of the focuser and it can feel a little stiff and gritty.
There is quite a subtle difference in WL and Na for me, and I find it easier to get better results in Na, maybe the tighter bandpass helps with the seeing? The few usable images i've managed with the HaT earlier in the year seem to show a more '3D cauliflower floret' appearance than whitelight which seems to be flatter and more 2D, like desiccation cracks in the dried mud of a lake bed. I used the Na Quark very successfully at outreach on international sunday, and my experience and all the dozens of people who attended was that it was easier to see (visually) the sunspots umbra and penumbra than in a very similar scope (2 x 80mm refractors) using a wedge and continuum filter.
I've been playing with a Mg quark behind the scenes. It's like CaK in green, it's very bright, brighter than Na, which is bright! It offers some positives to me; the longer wavelength is less sensitive to poorer seeing (at the expense of resolution), but also it is a wavelength centred where telescope optics are deigned to be at their sharpest, without having to use UV corrective optics to get the best results. Also, the brightness i've been talking about means very short exposures. I'm hoping I will be in position to be able to post some images before the sun is too low as we transition towards autumn.
Don't know if you realise Franco, but the HaT also passes Helium, wouldn't that be nice if we had a He filter to play with too
Mark
I too tend to use the diagonal with the Quark too with my HaT, straight through i'm floating on the limits of the focuser and it can feel a little stiff and gritty.
There is quite a subtle difference in WL and Na for me, and I find it easier to get better results in Na, maybe the tighter bandpass helps with the seeing? The few usable images i've managed with the HaT earlier in the year seem to show a more '3D cauliflower floret' appearance than whitelight which seems to be flatter and more 2D, like desiccation cracks in the dried mud of a lake bed. I used the Na Quark very successfully at outreach on international sunday, and my experience and all the dozens of people who attended was that it was easier to see (visually) the sunspots umbra and penumbra than in a very similar scope (2 x 80mm refractors) using a wedge and continuum filter.
I've been playing with a Mg quark behind the scenes. It's like CaK in green, it's very bright, brighter than Na, which is bright! It offers some positives to me; the longer wavelength is less sensitive to poorer seeing (at the expense of resolution), but also it is a wavelength centred where telescope optics are deigned to be at their sharpest, without having to use UV corrective optics to get the best results. Also, the brightness i've been talking about means very short exposures. I'm hoping I will be in position to be able to post some images before the sun is too low as we transition towards autumn.
Don't know if you realise Franco, but the HaT also passes Helium, wouldn't that be nice if we had a He filter to play with too
Mark
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
BTW, different Quarks - Ca-H, Mg, Na, H-a - all at $1250 (and higher outside the USA) - total $5000.
I'd better buy a second hand 32mm 0,3A PE or RG H-a etalon with warranted quality which will deliver exceptional views and images.
Valery
I'd better buy a second hand 32mm 0,3A PE or RG H-a etalon with warranted quality which will deliver exceptional views and images.
Valery
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
I am just not rich enough to afford only the best things.TheSkyBurner wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:40 pm ffellah: your sodium images are great! It is always fun trying new products.
Valery: I would never attempt selling you a car lol! You have very strict demands which are just short of absolute perfection made by the solid diamond-core plutonium vapor plated hands of the ancient one.
It sounds like you just need the 20 piece's of Z-cut quartz to build a .01 angstrom lyot filter.
Why even bother with .3 angstrom when you could just settle for the best thing on earth?
"Solar H alpha activity is the most dynamic and compelling thing you can see in a telescope, so spend accordingly." (c) Bob Yoesle.
Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
Largest full size 185 - 356mm Dielectric Energy Rejection Filters (D-ERF) by ARIES Instruments.
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
Thank you, Mark, for your nice comments and sharing your experience with different types of filters with all of us. I do think it is fun to experiment with different equipment at different times, this is also part of what this passion is about, at least for me. Skyburner: your comments on the post made my laugh....you are a funny guy, I like you already
Franco
Franco
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
Excellent images, Franco. For me every imaging session seems like a new experiment; there's always something subtly different .
Stu.
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
A very interesting post
Franco I really enjoyed your images, especially the little hummingbird
Alexandra
Franco I really enjoyed your images, especially the little hummingbird
Alexandra
- ffellah
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
Thanks for these info, Mark, I look forward to see some images made with this device. I am very curious, it seems interesting for using with my 150 mm achromat.marktownley wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 8:00 amI've been playing with a Mg quark behind the scenes. It's like CaK in green, it's very bright, brighter than Na, which is bright! It offers some positives to me; the longer wavelength is less sensitive to poorer seeing (at the expense of resolution), but also it is a wavelength centred where telescope optics are deigned to be at their sharpest, without having to use UV corrective optics to get the best results. Also, the brightness i've been talking about means very short exposures. I'm hoping I will be in position to be able to post some images before the sun is too low as we transition towards autumn.
Raf
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Re: AR2718 Sodium and Ha
excellent images and setup Franco
Pedro Re'
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